'Such a big problem in Saskatchewan': Ceremony honours officers who target impaired drivers
MADD Canada presented the Van de Vorst Family Award to 69 officers from various agencies, including the University of Saskatchewan campus cops to Saskatoon police officers. (Carla Shynkaruk / CTV News)
Police officers from across the province received awards on Wednesday for their work in getting impaired drivers off the road.
MADD Canada presented the Van de Vorst Family Award to 69 officers from various agencies, including the University of Saskatchewan campus cops to Saskatoon police officers.
The awards recognized their outstanding work to take impaired drivers off roads and highways. Recipients in this ceremony were responsible for a taking a combined 1666 impaired drivers off the road.
Linda and Lou Van de Vorst lost their son and his family seven years ago and were on hand to recognize the recipients. The couple established the award five years ago for their son Jordan, his wife Chanda and their two young children Kamryn and Miguire, who were all killed by an impaired driver just north of Saskatoon in 2016.
“We want to encourage them to keep working at it. Impaired driving is such a big problem in Saskatchewan, and this award is a way to say thank you to them for doing the work they do,” Lou Van de Vorst told CTV News.
Silver, gold, and platinum level awards are given out based on the number of impaired drivers the officers have charged. The highest number of impaired drivers taken off the roads by one officer in the group went to a campus police officer who achieved 187 suspensions or charges alone.
“We feel this award is really important to award officers who do extraordinary work in suspending or charging impaired drivers either by alcohol or drugs,” Linda Van de Vorst said.
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